Biographical Sketches
JAMES SCAMMON
Is the senior member of the prominent and well-known law firm of Scammon, Crosby & Stubenrauch. He is well read in the subtleties of his profession and keeps himself conversant with the current decisions of the courts of last resort. To a profound knowledge of the law he adds indefatigable industry, and is devoted to his profession, and has justly won a high place therein.
Mr. Scammon was born in Stratham, New Hampshire, June 10, 1844. His family, one of the oldest in the State, has for generations lived in New Hampshire, having settled there about 250 years ago. The paternal grandfather, James Scammon, was born and reared there, and engaged in farming in connection with the practice of medicine. He was a man of strong convictions and keen intellectual perceptions, and his upright life commanded the respect of all who knew him. He died at the age of 88 years.
Richard Scammon, father of our subject, a bright, scholarly, thoughtful man, was one of a family of 6 children, and was born in New Hampshire. Farming was his life work, and through that channel of industry he supported his family. He succeeded to the ancient homestead and gained a competence. He married Abigail Batchelder, a native of New Hampshire, and a genial, kindly woman of conservative judgment and sound, practical sense. Both the father and mother were trained in the old Puritan school, with its firm, rigid conceptions of duty. Mr. and Mrs. Scammon became the parents of 4 children, namely: Hezekiah, James, Sarah C. and Richard M. The father died in 1878, at the age of 69 years, and his wife passed away in 1875. They were members of the Christian church, in which the father served as trustee, and for years filled many offices of trust in his native community.
The subject of this review was reared at Stratham, New Hampshire, where the family had lived for 250 years. His youngest brother, a graduate of Cornell University, and an ex-member of the New Hampshire senate, now resides on the old homestead. James Scammon attended the common schools until 18 years of age, and entered Phillips Academy at Exeter, New Hampshire, where he pursued his studies for 3 years. He spent 6 weeks in private study, and passing through the freshman studies in that period, entered Brown University as a sophomore in 1865, and graduated in 1868. He was also elected a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Mr. Scammon then received an appointment as principal of the River Point Classical Seminary, at River Point, Rhode Island, where he remained for 1 year. At the expiration of that period he resigned and entered the Albany Law School. After his graduation at that institution he was admitted to the bar in June, 1870, and began practicing at Mechanicsville, Iowa, in the firm of Scammon & Rackett. For a year he practiced there as a partner of his old college mate. He next removed to Dvenport, where he continued until December, 1872, when he came to Kansas City, and has since resided here.
On the 4th of March, 1876, Mr. Scammon married a daughter of Rev. J. S. Everingham, of Sandusky, New York. He has 1 son, Richard. Mr. Scammon is a member of All Souls Unitarian church and for 20 years has been president of the board of trustees of this church, which he aided very greatly in establishing. His pleasant home is located at 2460 Brooklyn avenue. He has one of the finest miscellaneous libraries in Missouri, which indicates the cultured taste of the owner. Socially, he is a kind, genial gentleman of large and generous culture and information, of firm purpose and resolute will.
Mr. Scammon has been prominently connected with various business interests of Kansas City. For several years he was general solicitor for the Kansas City & Eastern Railway Company. He has for years been one of the directors and a member of the executive committee of the Kansas City Electric Light Company, also of the Edison Electric Light and Power Company. He is the secretary and a member of the board of directors of the Kansas City Hay Press Company. He was president of the board of managers of the Jackson County Reform School, appointed by Governor Marmaduke. He was one of the originators of the Kansas City Humane Society and has since either served as its president or as chairman of the executive committee, and has been actively and enthusiastically interested in its work for a period of 10 years. He was president of the Franklin Savings Bank, and was one of the directors of the Chicago & Kansas Commission Company. It is one of his boats that he never held a political office in his life, though he always takes an active interest in public affairs. He was prominently concerned in obtaining for Kansas City its first reform charter from the legislature of the state in 1875.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.